Open Skies Ahead
by S.M. Fidelus
Summary: Draco is finally free and able to move to France. Hermione has finished her Auror training. They both cross paths in the Ministry world. Strange things happen when they are forced to work together against a Voldemort Sympathyzer group. NOT COMPLETE. SLASH. Rated M for scenes later on.


He creeped through the back streets, trying to avoid the main roads in Diagon alley. The things he had to do just to avoid people. It's not that he's in trouble or anything, the Ministry made sure of that, but people just didn't really seem to like him. Ever since the war, people shunned him and turned him out of their shops. Even though he was done with his sentence in Azkaban, certified a non- Death Eater under Ministry law, and his mark was gone, people still shuddered at the sound of his name. Not necessarily his name, but his father's name. That's what really pissed him off. His father fucked up his entire life.

This was all why he was moving to France, where most people had never heard the name Malfoy. If he was lucky, he might even find and all muggle town to settle down in where he would have no chance of running into a single soul from Hogwarts. He would finally be able to start his life over.

His departure date was set for the day after tomorrow, when his sodding rent ran out. He told no one. It's not like he had anyone to tell, he had separated himself from most human contact, his father was in prison, and his mother had killed herself in shame. He had barely mourned her death. Good riddance in his mind.

After nearly getting attacked by a pack of feral alley cats, he decided to just face the main roads to get where he needed. He shouldn't be subjected to this because of his wanker excuse for a father. He was headed for the one place off of Diagon alley where he could actually set foot in a shop without people muttering under their breath. Reformed Knockturn Alley.

After the war, Ministry officials swept through the whole street and turned it into a commonplace for excused Death Eaters. Of course the shitty Ministry made sure that everything was way shabbier then the so-called innocent pricks in Diagon.

He turned down Knockturn alley, looking for the place he needed. He had never been inside, but he heard about it from eavesdropping on Bulstrode and Parkinson's conversation. He couldn't help, the sodding pair couldn't have been any fucking louder if they tried.

It was said to be a place where you could find anything you needed for a price. Sounded like a lot of codswallop in his opinion. All he needed was to get rid of a few Dark items the Ministry never found when they searched the Manor. He was finally able to get rid of them. Now that he was leaving for France it would be harder to trace them back to him.

Filene's finally came into view, the place he was looking for. One of those idiotic bells tinkered over head as he stepping inside. He tripped over various boxes and shelves to get to the counter, muttering the whole way.

"Ah! Mr. Malfoy! I was expecting you soon!" said the man behind the counter. Of course. He knew his name. The whole bloody country knows.

"Why would you be expecting me?" he said gruffly with a scowl. "Do I even know you?"

"I heard about your move to France of course! I assumed you would have a few things to take care of," he said cheerfully.

"How do you know about that, wanker?"

"Oh the whole town knows! You're pretty popular you know," the man said with a smile.

"Great," Malfoy grumbled. "Just do your part so I get out of this shit hole."

"Ok, Ok! Jeez Mr. Antsy Pants. Let's see those items," he said with reverence.

"Don't get excited wanker, it's just a hand of glory and some amulet of my fathers. It's not cursed as far as I know, but I'm pretty sure it has some magical properties."

"Mhmm. I'll just take these to the back and ring you up".

. . .

Hermione was very excited. She had finally finished her Auror training a week ago. Today she had a meeting set up with Kingsley Shacklebolt to discuss the options ahead of her. She had scored the highest on her final aptitude test in recorded history, and she was part of the Golden Trio, which, she had to admit, did elevate her status. This was why she had a meeting with the Minister. With good thoughts in mind, she headed off to the office.

"Ah, Miss Granger, good to see you," the Minister said warmly.

"Minister," she said with a nod.

"Let's jump right in shall we? You don't seem much for small talk, and we both know I wouldn't enjoy it. Okay, we have positions open right now in legal defence and ex- Death Eater coordinating, but that isn't really your speed. Something just opened up that I think you'll enjoy."

Hermione's excitement climbed higher and higher. Hopefully it was something good that would increase her reputation in the Auror world. If her first job was a bust, it would reflect on everything else.

"In Paris, there have been signs of a Dark resistance rising. We are sending in a few of our Aurors to help France. In return they are giving us some funds to help with the rebuild of the community after the war.

"We don't really know what you'll expect if you choose this job, but most likely it will be up close undercover operations. We may be getting some help from ex-Death Eaters."

"Death Eaters? How could they help?" Hermione wondered aloud.

"Think about it. This resistance is heard to be a Voldemort sympathiser group. They get ahold of some Death Eaters, and they've got the makings of an army. That's why we think they are in Paris. France didn't feel the effects of Voldemort as much, so they don't really understand our struggles. A Voldemort group wouldn't be spotted so easily.

"We've got hold of a certain well-known ex-Death Eater that happened to be moving to France. He has agreed to help us. I believe you know him. You might have been in the same year at Hogwarts. Malfoy?"

She stopped listening after that. Malfoy? Really? She would have to work with him? Besides Pansy, he was the only one who made her life at Hogwarts living Hell.

After his little speech about the job, she numbly told him she would sleep on it and get back to him in the morning.

. . .

He hated them. He had finally gotten a pardon from the Ministry and could move to France, and they had to go and fucking screw his life up again. Apparently there's some Voldemort uprising is Paris, and they just had to have a _Malfoy_ go undercover. He wasn't even the head of some team, he had to report back to some bastard Aurors.

It was all planned out. He was going to go to France to escape the magical community and everyone who could possibly know him, not go and assist all their idiotic suicide missions. God he was fucking pissed. Of course, they blackmailed him into this sodding game. He had no choice in the matter. They gave him an ultimatum, either he help the Ministry, or he would be named a suspect sympathiser in their records, and possibly locked up again.

These were the only details they gave him, nothing about he he was working with or how he was going to live. With his luck he would probably be working with Potter or some other blood traitor like Weasley. He had heard they had become Aurors recently. Great.

Along with all of this, they only gave him a week long notice. He was already going to leave tomorrow, but still. The wankers at the Ministry didn't know that. What if he was planning on leaving in a year? It had taken him months to settle all of his affairs.

Plus, he was barely getting paid. Compared to what he was earning at a _grocery store_ , this was nothing. If he didn't a;ready have the Malfoy inheritance, he would be pretty pissed. Not that he wasn't already.

Right now he was just packing all the stuff he needed. He had decided to leave a majority of his stuff in a warehouse just outside of Paris, for when he was done with this idiotic plan. The only things he was bringing with im were a couple sets of clothing, some books, and his wand.

. . .

Hermione apparated to the Ministry and was immediately sought ought by Shacklebolt's assistant, Ginny Weasley.

"Ginny! It's so good to see you! We should meet up some time, now that I'm done with training," Hermione said to a very flustered Ginny.

"Yes, yes we really should! Sorry I'm in such a hurry, but the Minister needs to see you in his office immediately!" Ginny said before scuttling off. "And don't forget to owl Harry and Ron about the news!" She called over her shoulder.

"Thanks Ginny. See you later!" Hermione called as she made her way to the office with slight apprehension.

As she entered the office, Kingsley barely looked up.

"Sit down, Granger," he said gruffly.

She complied nervously. This was definitely a different attitude than yesterday. Something must have happened. She hoped it wasn't to bad.

"Have you decided?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Um, yes, sir," she said shakily.

"Well? What is it?"

"Ah, well, I'll go to Paris sir." His face seemed to considerably brighten when she said this.

"Really? You'll go? Thank god. We couldn't spare any more experienced Aurors, and you're the best we've got at the moment. You will get a lot of hands-on experience with this, and it will definitely help your further career. I see the makings of an excellent Auror here."

"Thank you for the opportunity sir."

"Yes of course,but you deserve it. Our departure date is a week from today. Oh, and by the way, you will be working with Mr. Malfoy. You will have some semblance of control though, he reports to you, and you have full control over what he does. If he misbehaves, just mention Azkaban and he'll shut right up."

Hermione visibly brightened at this. Malfoy under her control? A perfect Auror job others have to compete for? Amazing! Better than she could ever have hoped for.

After the meeting, Hermione walked to her new office, hoping to unpack her notes and all her stuff she wouldn't need in Paris.

When she got inside, a women was standing by the door. Se looked like a complete super model. Tall, willowy figure with long blond hair and a perfect complexion. Hermione was immediately wary.

"Um… Who are you?"

"Oh! Mrs. Granger! You're here!" she said with a perky giggle.

"It's just Ms. Granger. You still haven't told me who you are."

"You and Ron Weasley aren't a thing?" Witch Weekly has this one article-"

Hermione cut her off, "No, we are _not_ a thing," she said bitterly. "Mr. Weasley has firmly attached himself to Ms. Lovegood. Who are you?"

"Luna Lovegood? I can't wait to tell Rita! Luna is in the Department of Magical Creatures, right?"

"It's Ms. Lovegood to you. Who are you?"

"Oh right!" she giggled. "I forgot to say! I'm Viola, your new secretary!"

"Secretary?" She had a secretary? "Who appointed you?"

"Oh, I'm a gift from the head of the Auror office. I'm coming with you to France. Anyway, Rita will be dying to hear about this scoop. Is it true that Harry Potter is currently fathering the triplets of Neena Dinkle, bass player in the Weird Sisters?"

"GET OUT!" Hermione was fed up. She was glad about the gift, but she had a feeling Viola wouldn't be much help. Way to perky.

. . .

Draco had just finished up discussing his plans with his landlord, Stan Shunpike, who was definitely not an ex-Death Eater, but still shunned for his time in Azkaban. That's just more evidence of the Ministry screwing up people's lives. He could barely stand being in the same room as the idiot, he had a habit of taking one tiny bit of information and turning it into a whole conversation. Of course, today's topic was Potter. Apparently the twat who wouldn't die had just finished up his Auror training, and was already in Romania fighting the war there. Great. At least it meant the fucking bastard wouldn't be working with him. After repeatedly telling the wanker to shut up, he finally took the hint and took the rest of his rent.

Later, he was jogging around the same lake he always apparated to, when a thought came to him. What if he liked this job? He instantly shoved the thought from his mind. Of course he wouldn't like it. He would probably have to work with at least one of the insufferable mudbloods. Honestly, they already have stolen magic and can walk freely with no care in the world, but now they have jobs at the Ministry? How was he supposed to feel "safe" under this rule if those little shits are at the head of things. He would rather have a squib. At least they had decent heritage.

After finishing up his jog and apparated back to his apartment, he noticed a Ministry owl sitting outside his window. Great, he thought, more shitty Ministry reminders. He opened up the letter.

 _Dear Mr. Malfoy,_ _July 21_

 _Departure date has been moved to Thursday, July 22. Please be ready at Ministry Dock 3 at 6:30 A.M. for departure at indicated date above._

 _Head of Auror Transport_

 _F_ _i_ _n_ _el_ _y_ _T_ _r_ _av_ _is_

 _Finley Travis_

Perfect. Just sodding perfect. Now he had to leave even sooner with these fucking bastards.


End file.
